Lessons Learned

I came to appreciate geology far more than ever before as we traveled through Utah, Arizona, and Nevada.  Then we drove through Death Valley, and it drove the message home.  I used to think geology was boring, but no longer.  I expected Death Valley to be monochrome, a bland desert.  Wrong!!  It is an amazing assemblage of colors and textures, indicative of a violent past (and present?), of upheavals, chasms, occasional volcanic activity, and minerals of all kinds.

We traveled through Death Valley in November of 2012, with our home base being Pahrump, Nevada.  Our first clue to Death Valley's potential was this mountain, just before we entered the park from the east.  The stark contrast between the light and dark colors was arresting.

On the south side of the road we next saw black mountains, made of volcanic rock:

Once we entered the park, the geology became even more interesting:

Since pictures speak louder then words, here are more photos of the mountains, taken from the floor of Death Valley as we drove along:

Look at the reds in these mountains!

The clouds in the sky provided interest as well:

Evidence of erosion was wide-spread:

More colors!

Death Valley is best known for the salt flats in the basin, but there is so much more to it!

The lowest point, below sea level!

As I said, Death Valley is so much more than the lowest point in North America.  It was impossible for me to stop taking pictures.

The colors and formations are of endless variety!

We came to a place that one could compare to an artist's palette.  These are not Photoshopped!  The colors, of course, come from various minerals.

And then more colors:

 

We took a hike through a yellow canyon:

Does this look at all familiar??  It was in this canyon that the little sand people of Star Wars were filmed!!

Here are a couple of parting shots, taken as the sun was setting as we left the park in the evening.